Bell attachment for vehicle wheels



Feb. 1942- A. J. NIELSEN ETAL BELL ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE WHEELS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 27, 1940 5 .5 W W NSJWW N HW I Mfi/v mmw H m a Feb, 24, 1942- I A. J. NIELSEN ETAL 2,274,153

BELL ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE WHEELS Filed March 27. 1940 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 24, 1942 p STATES FATEJNJT 1 OFFICE BELL ATTACHMENT FORME IHOLE WHEELS Alfred Nielsen and EdwinI t liason, Luck; Wis;

Application March 27, 1940,[Serial No.326y262 (01. 116 -170.)

Claims.

'- Our invention relates to sound-producing de vices and particularly to a bell attachment for Wheeled vehiclesl When vehicles are used in parades, in connection with winter sports activities or for other purposes Where pleasing sound effects are desircd concurrent with operation of thevehicles it appears desirable that suitable apparatus be "available for attachment to vehicles to produce sound effe'cts when the vehicles are in operation;

An object of our invention is to provide an attachment for vehicles capable of effectively producing the sound'of sleigh bells or the like responsive to operation :of the vehiclesto which the attachment is applied. 1 -A more specific object is to provide a device attachable to a wheel ofa vehicle and including 7 suitable bells" incorporated in the device in such wheel hub with the device ofFig. 4 operatively associated therewith;

Fig: 6- isa: sectional view of an old typeof therewith; and

a manner that the bells will operate responsive to rotation of the wheel to which the device is attached. v

'A'nother object-is to provide such a: device whichmay be attached to-and removed from a wheel quickly andeasily a'nd asa unit.

Still another object is to provide such a device which may be associated withthe central portion of" a'wheel in snugly fitting and compact relation therewith. Yet -another object is including means of attachment'to a vehicle wheel offsuch a nature as to obviate the need for mod i-fyingor marring the wheel in any way in the processofi attachingcthe device.

A further object isto provide such a device of light, simple, compact and inexpensive construc Fig. 1' is a general viewof an embodiment of our invention shown in operative association with.

a front wheel of a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a front view of theembodimentof Fig; 1 with certai'nofthe bell's of the device removed;

Fig. 3 is a partially sectional; partially broken away view of a motor vehicle Wheel hub withthe device of Fig. 2 operatively associatedtherewith; Fig. 4 is a front View of another-embodiment of-ourinvention with one of the bells thereof re-- Fig; 5 is-a sectionalvievv of a motor vehicle- 7 throughout of various shapes, we have shown the: same; as: will beseen in Fig. 21, as beingefelongatedwctato provide sucha device Fig; 7' is a.partiallyrbroken awayand sectional side view of. still another embodiment ofour-invention. I

Referring to thedrawings, and particularlygto. Figsil to 3 inclusive, the embodiment of our invention shown in these views includes a plurallay r bells lill'swingably" attached to a 'bell-sup porting member H which is attachableto the hub: portion of a motor vehicle; While the bells liiimaybeof anyone ofa number of types, we

prefer them t'obe of the well'known type ordinar-ily: referred to. as sleigh-bells and have so. shown them inthe drawings. 7

While the bell-supporting member H maybe goh shape. Preferably themember His formed of' -sheet metal: and an opening Hwisprovided in the: central portion thereof. For the sake of economy the member Il may be made of canvas or the like if'desired.

A- plurality of the bells 10 are swingably connected to the front side of the member I I at respectivepoints disposed symmetrically thereof. For, thispurpose the member H is provided, at such points, with: slotsv III) which: may be disposed. either radially of the center of the -memher I l' or tangent to circles concentric with the center of the member ll, thedatter disposition of the slots I ll): being. shown in Fig. 2..- In accordance with common practice the bells lll'are eachprovided. with an attachment loop-or ring Mia as shown in Fig. '3: Clips l2; comprisingfiat strips of bendable but relativelyrigid material such as;sheet-metal; are extended through the bell attachment ringsdil-w and. are bentupon themselves to each have a pairofparallel legs as indicated in Fig. 3: The parallel legs of each c1ip l2 are projected through a correspondingone of the slots llb andare-spread apart, asindicated in Fig. 3, at the rear side of the member H to swingably connect a corresponding one of the bells Iil{ to the member ll; As shownin Fig; 2. extraslotsllb are providedin theleft and righthand-portions of themember I'l so thattwo' choices are available as tothe distance from the center of the" member II at which the left and right hand bells may be attachedto -the member H, or, with the "portions H0 omitted'beyond tli dotted lines I Id, straps may be extended through the outer slots IIb.

Preferably the bell-supporting member H is bent to somewhat dished form so as to approximately fit the convex contour of the usual type of modern hub cap.

Means is provided for attaching the member I I to the central portion of a motor vehicle wheel in concentric relation therewith. The attachment means shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive is designed for use with the usual large type of modern hub cap which is pressed or snapped into place in the hub portion of the wheel of a motor vehicle. As illustrated in Fig. 3, this type of hub cap is referred to by the numeral I3 and includes an exteriorly convex main portion I3a, a generally radially projecting annular flange I3b normally bearing against an annular portion Ma of the hub of a vehicle wheel I4, and an axially projecting annular flange I30 which normallyprojects into the interior space of the wheel hub portion 14a and is secured therein by suitable retaining means. For attachment of the member to a hub cap such as the hub cap I3 we provide tongues or bandsIIc formed integrally with the member II and projecting generally radially outwardly of respective portions of the edge thereof as shown in Fig. 2. While various numbers of the tongues He might be provided on the member I I, We consider that two tongues I I projecting from opposite ends of the member I I, as shown, will ordinarily be suflicient. In use of the attachment tongues II the same are bent around the flanges I31) and I30 to conform to the shape thereof, as indicated in Fig. 3, after which the hub cap I3 may be snapped into place in the hub portion I la. It should be apparent that, after this has been done, the bellsupporting member I I is securely attached to the centralportion of the wheel I4 in concentric or symmetrical relation therewith. It should also be apparent that the bells III will then ring responsive. to rotation of the wheel I4: (see Fig. 1). The front portion of a motor vehicle, including theright front wheel and fender I5, is illustratedin Fig. l.

In Figs. 4 and we illustrate a somewhat different embodiment of our invention which is alsoattachable to a hub cap such as the hub cap L3 of Figs. 1 to 3. I6 of Figs. 4 and 5 is of centrally apertured cupshape, as can be best seen in Fig. 5, so as to be capable of bearing, at its marginal edge, against the exterior side of the exteriorly convex main portion I3a of a hub cap I3 as indicated in Fig. 5. The bell-supporting member I6 is provided with an annularly extending series of slots I6a similar The bell-supporting member to the slot I lb of Figs. 1 to 3 and by means of which bells II! are swingably connected to the member It with clips l2 in the same manner as the bells II] were attached to the slotted portions of the bell-supporting member II of Figs. 1 to 3.

Means is provided for attaching the bell-sup- I porting member IE to a hub cap such as the hub cap I3. The member I6 is provided, at its peripheral edge, with an annular bead I61: and, at respective points along the periphery thereof is; provided, immediately inwardly of the bead Ifib. with slots I disposed parallel to portions of the bead I61) whereby such portions of the bead I611 constitute pivot pins in effect. Any desired number of equally or unequally spaced slots ISc may be provided as desired but we have shown, as appears best in Fig. 4, four equally spaced slots Ific sothat four corresponding portions of the bead I6b are available as pivot pins. Bands I! of flat, bendable material such as sheet metal are placed in radially outwardly projecting relation with the periphery of the member I6 at points where slots I60 render the bead I6b useable as pivot pins, and the inner ends of the bands I! are bent about the corresponding pivot pin portions of the bead I6b so as to be pivotally connected therewith and swingable relative to the member I6. As indicated in Fig. 5, the bands Il may be bent about the flanges I31) and I30 of the hub cap I3 in the same manner as the bands I I0 of Figs. 1 to 3 after which the hub cap I 3 may be placed in normal relation with the hub portion I40, of the vehicle wheel I4. It should be apparent that, when this has been done, the bells Ii! will operate in the same manner as in the device of Figs. 1 to 3.

In Fig. 6 we show a modified form of the device of Figs. 4 and 5 which is particularly adapted for use with motor vehicle wheels of an older type usually referred to as artillery type wheels. In Fig. 6 the central portion of a-wheel I8 of this type is shown having spokes I8a'held at their inner ends between hub plates I81) and I which form part of a hub assembly including an outwardly projecting capped hub body I8d of small diameter relative to the corresponding parts of present day types of motor vehicle wheel hubs.

In the form of our device shown in Fig. 6 the same parts are used as in the form of Figs. 4 and'5 with the exception thatthe bands II are omitted and other attachment means is substituted therefor. The peripheral edge of our device of Fig. 6 bears against the outer spokeretaining hub flange I80 and the apertured central portion of the bell-supporting member I6 accommodates projection gtherethrough of the hub body I8d of the wheel I8. Suitable flexible straps I9, preferably equipped with ordinary buckles I9a, are extended through the slots IBc ofthe bell-supporting member I6 and, as indicated in Fig. 6, may be buckled in encircling relation with suitableones of the wheel spokes I8a to secure the device to the wheel I8 in concentric relation therewith.

In Fig. 7 we illustrate another form of our device in which a bell 28, having an attachment shank 20a, is connected, by means of the shank 20a to the neck portion 'ZIa, of a-rubber vacuum cup 2| or well known form. It should be apparent that the vacuum, cup ZI may be placed in attached relation withany surface presented by parts of a vehicle wheeland that such surfaces may be situated either concentrically or eccentrically relative to the vehicle wheel. In suitable manners the bell shank 20a may be connected to the neck Zia of the vacuumcup ZI in either fixed or swingable relation therewith.

Iti apparent that we have invented a novel, effective, compact, simple, light and inexpensive bell device quickly and easilyattachable to and removable from the wheel ofa vehicle and capable of operating'responsive to rotation of the wheel to produce a pleasing jingling sound.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, ar

rangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of our inven- Whatis claimedis: A

1. A noise-making device for wheeled vehicles comprising, a bell-supporting member of generally cup-shaped form to fit against the outer side of the hub portion of a vehicle wheel in concentric relation therewith, bands of bendable but relatively rigid material swingably connected to and extending generally outwardly of respective point on the marginal portion of said member for use in attaching said member to a wheel in said relation therewith, and a plurality of bells connected to said member at symmetrically disposed respective points thereon.

2. In combination with a vehicle wheel having a hub provided with a telescoping, detachable hub cap, a bell attachment comprising a bell supporting member constructed to fit against the outer face of said hub cap, a plurality of flexible retaining members extending outwardly from said supporting member and interposed between the telescoping portions of said hub and hub'cap for securing said bell supporting memher and at least one bell connected with said supporting member.

3. In combination with a vehicle wheel having a hub provided with a telescoping, detachable hub cap, a bell attachment comprising a bell supporting member constructed to fit against the outer face of said hub cap, at least one bell connected with said supporting member, and flexible retaining means extending outwardly from said supporting memberand interposed between the telescoping portions of said hub and gub cap for securing said bell supporting mem- 4. In combination with a vehicle wheel having a hub provided with a telescoping, detachable hub cap, a bell attachment comprising a bell supporting member constructed to fit against the outer face of said hub cap, said supporting member having a central aperture exposing at least a portion of said hub cap, at least one bell connected with the outer side of said supporting member, a plurality of relatively narrow, flexible retaining members extending outwardly from said supporting member and adapted to be interposed between the telescoping portions of said hub and hub cap for securing said bell supporting member. 5. In combinationwith a vehicle wheel having a hub provided with a telescoping, detachable hub cap, a bell attachment comprising an integrally formed member constructed of flexible sheet material, said member forming a central bell supporting element constructed to fit against the outer face of said hub cap and forming also a plurality of flexible retaining elements extending outwardly from said supporting element and adapted to be interposed between the telescoping portions of said hub and hub cap for securing said member, and at least one bell connected with said supporting element.

ALFRED J. NIELSEN. EDWIN ELIAS ON. 

